Graduate Degrees

An intensive, multidisciplinary approach to the development of work in a wide range of art media, including drawing and painting, printmaking, sculpture and ceramics, photography, video, installation and performance. The program focuses on the advancement of each student’s abilities as an artist. Work in the studio and studio based classes is combined with courses in art criticism, theory and history to provide a context of ideas for developing students’ visions. Frequent contact with faculty members and visiting artists exposes students to diverse viewpoints and practices.

The best of both worlds
UConn has the creative excitement and intellectual energy of an art school and a major research university combined. We are ranked in the top 100 graduate studio art programs in the country and we are ranked as a top-twenty public university nationally. We are a member of Universitas 21, a global network of leading research universities.

A nationally and internationally renowned faculty.
The members of our faculty have won major international honors and awards, from Guggenheim Fellowships and Fulbright Scholarships to Getty Foundation grants to National Endowment for the Humanities and the Arts Grants. They exhibit in major art centers globally, including New York City, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Shanghai, and Sao Paolo. They publish books with premier academic presses – Yale University Press, Harvard University Press, the University of California Press. All of this knowledge, creativity, and professional expertise are available to you, every day, in and out of the classroom.

Visiting artists, field trips and exhibition opportunities.
Vital visiting artist program including artists, curators and critics as Roberto Lugo, William Villalongo, Marina Abromovic, Nari Ward, Megan and Murray McMillan, Ben Katchor, Shirin Neshat, Alfredo Jaar, Robert Storrs, and Petah Coyne. Extensive field trip opportunities to interact with artist, curators, and museum professionals in New York City, Boston, and other national art centers. The group M.F.A. Exhibition and student public talks take place at the William Benton Museum of Art on the UConn Campus. Following graduation, students present their M.F.A. Exhibition in June at a New York City gallery.

Generous financial aid and fellowship awards.
Fully funded program with graduate tuition waived, generous stipends given for teaching and gallery assistantships, and subsidized health insurance.

The success of our alumni.
Our graduates are exhibiting work nationally and internationally, have won major international honors and awards including Guggenheim Fellowships, Fulbright Scholarships, and state art council awards, teaching at colleges and universities across the United States, and working in museums and galleries, animation studios, design firms, and publishing houses.

Access to all the arts.
As the boundaries between the arts become ever more fluid, the School of Fine Arts makes it possible for you to study Music, Dramatic Arts, and Digital Media alongside Studio Art or Art History. The School of Fine Arts serves as an umbrella organization and incubator for cutting-edge interdisciplinary initiatives in the arts. UConn’s museums, galleries, and performance centers – including the Department’s own award-winning Contemporary Art Galleries – bring major international and national artists and performers to our campus.

The following list of documentation must be submitted with your application to the Graduate School. Do not submit these documents to the Art & Art History Department.

1. Unofficial Transcripts for any degrees earned to be submitted electronically (official transcripts are required if accepted into the MFA program);

2. The name, institutional affiliation, and contact information for three (3) recommenders to submit letters of recommendation electronically (Graduate School will contact the recommenders directly for the letters).;

3. A resume which lists your education, employment, and exhibition experience, including honors and awards;

4. A personal statement explaining your identified area of focus and any cross media interests you may have. Tell us your reasons for undertaking graduate work, your immediate aspirations and your goals for the future.

Note: There is duplication of information in the two sites. Please complete for each application site.

The SlideRoom portfolio submission will require you to provide the following information prior to uploading your portfolio:

1. List the schools and degrees earned for which you will be submitting transcripts (Note: Transcripts are submitted electronically with your application through the Graduate School – Transcripts should not be sent directly to the Art & Art History Department.)

2. List the name, institutional affiliation and contact information of three (3) references who will be submitting written recommendations on your behalf through the Graduate School application.

3. Submit a resume including information on your education, employment, exhibition experience, honors and awards.

4. Indicate which one of the following media areas best identifies your intended major focus in graduate school:
◦ Painting/Drawing
◦ Printmaking
◦ Installation/Performance
◦ Photography/Video
◦ Sculpture/Ceramics

5. Submit a personal statement explaining your interest in your identified area of focus and any cross media interests you may have. Tell us your reasons for undertaking graduate work, your immediate aspirations and your goals for the future.

6. Upload your portfolio
Please note we DO NOT accept slides, CDs or DVDs. All portfolios must be uploaded with your Art & Art History M.F.A. Application through our SlideRoom.

Graduate studios are located in Kirby Mill providing large studio spaces with exceptional light in which the grads work together within a sense of community. The Bishop Center Studios include stellar printmaking studios, screenprinting, letterpress and book arts. These studios are a center of creative energy featuring unparalleled resources. In the main Art Building, the Digital Arts Services Lab supports digital photography with state-of-the-art equipment, while graduate and advanced wet darkrooms offer traditional methods. The Ceramics Studios have recently been renovated and upgraded with the addition of new equipment. A Digital Arts Materials Lab has been established to support digital work in sculpture, printmaking, and other media.